Employee Working From Home, Can be Risky Business

In today’s world more and more people are working from home. Some of our clients even allow selected workers to work half days on Fridays from home. Our working ensnarement is becoming very fluid.

While allowing employees to work from home has added benefits for both the employee and the employer, there are liability and workers compensation exposures related to at-home workers. As an employer, it is essential that you take a proactive approach to keep your employees safe and avoid potential liabilities.

First, consider which candidates are best suited to work from home. Employees who have been with the company for a period of time long enough to prove their work ethic and trustworthiness are better candidates for at-home work than new employees.

After approving an employee to work from home, assist in setting up their workspace to ensure a safe work area. Be sure to include an ergonomically-correct office arrangement. Once the workspace is set up, it is a good idea to take several photographs for proof that a safe area was established, should a workers compensation claim later arise.

Provide a computer program for tracking time at work and time off. If a workers compensation claim is made, an accurate tracking of the employee’s actual work time will aid in determining if an incident actually occurred during working hours.

Make sure employees doe snot start holding meeting with clients or others at home. The office is always the best place for that.

Make sure you establish guidelines for things like;

1. use of personal vehicles during the day, who’s insurance is primary?
2. Loss of company property or damage to company property by family members or guests.

Finally, HIPAA requires employers to take a number of steps to protect clients private information. Make sure no files are removed from the office that contain such information. If your employee’e home is broken into and information stolen, you will be responsible.

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